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September 20, 2022 Honorable Erick Larsh, Presiding Judge Page 3 <br /> <br />SANTA ANA CITY COUNCIL <br /> <br />Vicente Sarmiento <br />Mayor <br />vsarmiento@santa-ana.org <br />Phil Bacerra <br />Mayor Pro Tem, Ward 4 <br />pbacerra@santa-ana.org <br />Thai Viet Phan <br />Ward 1 <br />tphan@santa-ana.org <br />Nelida Mendoza <br />Ward 2 <br />nmendoza@santa-ana.org <br /> <br />Jessie Lopez <br />Ward 3 <br />jessielopez@santa-ana.org <br />Johnathan Ryan Hernandez <br />Ward 5 <br />jryanhernandez@santa-ana.org <br /> <br />David Penaloza <br />Ward 6 <br />dpenaloza@santa-ana.org <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />drought emergencies that a cooperative, coordinated, and uniform regional approach to conservation <br />reduces confusion amongst the public and results in the best outcome. <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATIONS <br /> <br />R1 – By January 2023, Orange County wholesale water agencies should formally begin analysis and <br />collaboration towards forming a single wholesale water authority or comparable agency to operate <br />and represent wholesale water operations and interests of all imported and ground water supplies. <br />(F1, F2, F3, F4, F6) <br /> <br />RESPONSE: The recommendation has been implemented <br />Orange County Water District and Municipal Water District of Orange County have formed an ad- <br />hoc committee comprised of three board members from each agency to collaborate on options to be <br />more effective and comprehensive in their individual agency efforts. The City has no direct <br />involvement in these efforts, but we encourage productive and positive dialogue and outcomes. <br /> <br />R2 – Any future “One Voice” consolidated Orange County wholesale water authority should have <br />Directors that examine and vote on issues considering the unique needs of all water districts. (F1, F2, <br />F3, F4, F6) <br /> <br />RESPONSE: The recommendation requires further analysis <br />The City agrees in principle that if a consolidated Orange County wholesale water authority were to <br />exist, the voting body would have to be made up of members who vote on issues for the benefit of all <br />water agencies in the County and take their unique needs into consideration. It would be necessary to <br />recognize the investments that those communities have made to manage their water supplies, and act <br />to protect those investments. Creating this proposed authority would require a transparent, <br />collaborative process to ensure the community’s resources are adequately protected and its needs are <br />fairly represented. <br /> <br />The City of Santa Ana thanks you for the opportunity to weigh in on this important matter. We <br />believe it is a practice of good governance to periodically review, reflect on, and evaluate how we <br />conduct business and best serve our community. As such, we welcome additional studies that <br />evaluate the details of a proposed consolidation. We would like to see information and analysis on <br />how such a shift would affect representation on both the MWD and OCWD Boards. As it is now, <br />Santa Ana has one seat at the MWD Board and one seat on the OCWD Board. Additional clarity is <br />needed on the local and regional impacts, including policy making capabilities, of a single county <br />wholesaler. A One Water philosophy is always ideal, particularly with more frequent and severe <br />droughts, conservation mandates, and environmental limitations, but we wonder, how will these <br />challenges be addressed? <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />